|
|
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Italy's Wild West
The modus operandi of the gangs owes much to the memories of the cowboy bandits of Hollywood fame. Three to four men pose as passengers to board the trains, which are often heading south from Milan, subdue the guard, rob the couchettes and then pull the emergency cord to enable them to jump off and be picked up by accomplices in the countryside. Last year there were 29 such robberies, up from eight in 2005 and only four in 2004. One night journey in December even witnessed a brawl between two rival gangs over the right to rob the train they had boarded. "Transport police used to ride the trains, but their numbers have been cut and the thieves are getting more confident," said Balotta "We need better alarms for staff and the police back on board." - Guardian Unlimited
|
